This story was told by Vyasa to Yudhisthira in Shanti Parva. Once there lived two brothers, both rishis, named Sankha and Likhita. Two brothers used to live in two beautiful houses near the bank of the river Vahuda. The trees in the ashrama were always full of luscious fruits and beautiful flowers. Once Likhita, came to the hermitage of his brother Sankha. At that time Sankha had gone on some errands and was not available in the ashrama. Likhita was hungry and therefore he plucked some fruits from the trees and ate them, thinking that anyway they belonged to his brother, so he had rights to eat them. When Sankha came back he saw that Likhit was eating fruits and he was not happy. He asked Likhita by whose permission did he pluck the fruits from the trees. Likhita said that he had taken them because he was hungry. Sankha, who had a different sense of justice told Likhita that even though he had taken the fruits from the trees of his brother, since he had taken them without telling him, he had done a wrong. Therefore he must go to the king and seek punishment. Likhita, who always obeyed his elder brother went to the king Sudyumna. Hearing that sage Likhita had come to visit him the king hastened to meet him. Likhita told him that he did a grave mistake by appropriating what did not belong to him. Therefore he had committed theft and he should be punished by the king. The king was surprised. He told Likhita that if the king is bestowed with the responsibility of punishing a wrong doer, he also had the right to forgive. Therefore he would pardon Likhita. But Likhita did not relent. He said that he had committed a grave sin by violating the principles and he should be punished like an ordinary thief. The punishment of theft was cutting off the hands. Likhita asked Sudumnya to perform his dharma as a king, as a ruler and chastiser, to set examples. The king was very unhappy, but he ordered the hands to be chopped off. Likhita was happy and despite being in great pain, he returned to the hermitage of his brother showing him the punishment meted out to him. Sankha said that he was not at all angry with Likhita and he wanted him to be punished by the king because of the consideration of righteousness as espoused by the Vedas. Sages should set examples in front of the society and if they transgress their moral responsibilities and duties the society is in grave danger. Also the king should be the one inflicting punishment on any wrong doer and that's why he sent Likhita to the king, though he himself was capable of punishing him. He then told Likhita to go and take a bath in the river and offer oblations to the Gods, pitris and the rishis. Likhita performed his oblations and at this a miracle happened. His two hands appeared as it is. Overjoyed, Likhita ran to his brother to show him the miracle. Then venerated Sankha, the great sage, told his brother that all this had happened because of the power of his penances.
The great king Sudyumna, by establishing righteousness even against his own wish, earned great merit and fame.
